Nation's HVAC Glossary
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Heating
Furnace
Most homes around here have one. A furnace burns natural gas to heat air, a blower pushes that air through your ducts, and cold air cycles back through the return vents to get heated again. They're measured in BTUs and sized to your home's square footage. With regular maintenance, expect 15 to 20 years of life.
Furnace repair
When your furnace stops working or starts acting up. The usual suspects: no heat at all, the furnace turning on and off every few minutes (short cycling), ignition failures, strange banging or squealing noises, or rooms that won't warm up. A technician who carries common parts on the truck can usually sort it out in one visit. If your furnace is past 15 and you're calling every year, the repairs are telling you something.
Furnace installation
The technician sizes the unit to your home's square footage and insulation, runs it to the gas line and ductwork, wires the thermostat, and tests the system. If you're replacing an older furnace, removing and disposing of the old one is included. All installs in BC have to meet Technical Safety BC code.
Furnace replacement
Swapping an old furnace for a new one. Generally makes sense when it's past 15 years, needs an expensive fix, or is burning through gas like it doesn't care what FortisBC charges. Newer high-efficiency models make a noticeable dent in your bill. The job involves pulling the old unit, putting in the new one, hooking everything up, and testing.
Furnace tune-up
Yearly maintenance, best done in the fall before you're running the furnace daily. The tech cleans the burners, inspects the heat exchanger for cracks, checks the ignition, tests safety controls, and dials in efficiency. Think of it like an oil change. It runs better, uses less gas, and won't abandon you in February.
Furnace inspection
Not the same as a tune-up. An inspection is focused on safety rather than performance. The technician tests for carbon monoxide leaks, inspects the heat exchanger, checks gas connections, and verifies code compliance. Older furnaces especially. A cracked heat exchanger can leak CO into your home with zero visible or audible warning.
Emergency furnace repair
A repair call outside business hours because your furnace quit and it's cold. Nobody plans these. Furnace dies at midnight on a Saturday in December, you need someone who picks up the phone. Some companies charge extra for after-hours; others don't.
Boiler
Heats water instead of air. That hot water circulates through radiators, baseboard heaters, or in-floor tubing. No ductwork, no dry winter air getting blown around. Boilers run on natural gas, electricity, or oil, heat more evenly than furnaces, and tend to last 15 to 25 years. More common in older Lower Mainland homes and new builds with radiant floors.
Boiler installation
Connecting a new boiler to your home's water piping, gas line, and heating distribution, whether that's radiators, baseboard, or radiant floor. Sizing is where it matters most. Too small, cold rooms. Too large, wasted gas. All boiler installs have to meet Technical Safety BC requirements, and honestly, boiler work is specialized enough that you want someone who does it regularly.
Boiler repair
Fixing a boiler that isn't heating, is leaking, has lost pressure, or is making sounds it shouldn't. Typical jobs: replacing valves, fixing piping leaks, sorting pressure problems, swapping worn circulation pumps. Boilers are different enough from furnaces that experience matters. Not every HVAC tech is comfortable with them.
Boiler replacement
Out with the old, in with the new. Modern boilers are far more efficient than units from 15 or 20 years ago, so the upgrade often pays for itself through lower gas bills over time. The job is disconnecting and removing the old unit, installing the new one, connecting piping, and testing.
Boiler inspection
A check of your boiler's safety and condition. Pressure testing, leak checks, safety valve inspection. Boiler problems develop slowly, which makes them easy to ignore. Everything seems fine until it isn't.
Combination boiler (combi boiler)
One unit handles both your heating and your hot water. No separate tank, which saves space. Turn on a tap, it heats the water on demand. Popular in smaller homes and condos because they're not keeping 50 gallons hot around the clock waiting for someone to shower.
Heat pump
Moves heat instead of generating it. In winter, it pulls heat from outdoor air and brings it inside. In summer, it reverses and works as an air conditioner. One system, two jobs, runs on electricity. The efficiency numbers are genuinely impressive compared to a furnace. Works well in the Lower Mainland because our winters rarely get cold enough to hurt performance. Air-source models are the most common residential type.
Heat pump installation
The outdoor condenser, indoor air handler (or ductless heads for a mini-split), refrigerant lines, and controls all need to go in. The technician sizes the system to the home and sets everything up. Heat pump installs in BC often qualify for rebates from BC Hydro or FortisBC, which can take a real chunk off the price.
Heat pump maintenance
Coil cleaning, refrigerant levels, electrical inspection, defrost cycle testing. Unlike a furnace that sits idle all summer, a heat pump works year-round. It earns its maintenance.
Heat pump replacement
Heat pumps last about 10 to 15 years. If yours is struggling to keep up, eating electricity, or needing repairs every season, a newer model will do the job better for less. The process is similar to a fresh install plus removing the old equipment.
Radiant heating
Warm water flowing through tubing under your floors. No blown air, no drafts, no dust getting kicked around. A boiler or heat pump heats the water. More common in new construction because retrofitting it into an existing home means tearing up the floors, which gets expensive fast.
Heating system maintenance
Whatever heats your home, it needs regular servicing. A maintenance visit means a tech cleans things, inspects for wear, and adjusts. This catches problems early and protects your warranty. Most manufacturers won't honor warranty claims without proof of maintenance.
Cooling
Air conditioner (A/C)
Pulls heat out of your indoor air and dumps it outside. Central air uses an outdoor compressor, an indoor evaporator coil (usually mounted on the furnace), and your ductwork to cool the whole house. Window and portable units handle individual rooms. Central A/C has gotten a lot more common around here as summers get hotter.
A/C installation
An outdoor condenser, indoor evaporator coil, refrigerant lines, and thermostat setup. Sizing is probably the single most important part. Oversized means the unit cycles on and off constantly and never dehumidifies properly. Undersized means it can't keep up when it's 35 degrees out.
A/C repair
Not cooling, won't start, weird noises, dripping water where it shouldn't. Usually: refrigerant leaks, dead compressor, electrical failures, clogged drain line, or a worn fan motor. If it's blowing air but the air isn't cold, that usually points to low refrigerant or a compressor gone bad.
A/C maintenance
A yearly checkup, best in spring before you need the A/C. Coil cleaning, refrigerant check, electrical connections, filter, cooling performance test. Skipping this is one of the most common reasons air conditioners die young. Also the easiest way to avoid calling for a repair on the hottest weekend of July.
Air conditioning replacement
A/C units last roughly 10 to 15 years. Time to replace when yours needs constant fixes, your electricity bill keeps creeping up, it can't cool evenly, or it still runs R-22 refrigerant (phased out in Canada). A new unit cools better, runs quieter, and uses significantly less power.
Ductless mini-split
Skips the ductwork entirely. An outdoor compressor connects to wall-mounted indoor units that blow conditioned air directly into the room. Each one has its own controls, so bedroom cold and living room warm at the same time is an option. Good for older homes without ducts, additions, converted garages, and rooms that are always the wrong temperature no matter what you do.
Cooling system
Any equipment that cools your home. Central A/C, ductless mini-splits, heat pumps in cooling mode, window units. Which one fits depends on whether you have ductwork, how much of the house you're trying to cool, and budget.
Water Heating
Hot water tank
The traditional water heater. A big insulated tank keeps 40 to 60 gallons ready to go. Most run on gas or electricity. Gas heats faster and costs less to run. Electric is simpler to install. Tanks last about 8 to 12 years. When one starts going, you'll notice rust-colored water, puddles around the base, or inconsistent temperatures.
Hot water tank installation
Hooking up a new tank to the water supply, gas line or electrical, and venting for gas models. The installer sets temperature, tests the pressure relief valve, confirms everything is to code. If there's an old tank, they drain it and haul it away.
Hot water tank maintenance
Flushing sediment, checking the anode rod, inspecting the pressure relief valve, testing the thermostat. The anode rod is a metal rod inside the tank that corrodes on purpose so the tank walls don't. Most people have no idea it's there. Replacing it when it's spent can add years to the tank's life, which makes it probably the most overlooked maintenance item in any home.
Hot water tank repair
Electric models: usually a heating element or thermostat. Gas: thermocouple or gas valve. If the tank body itself is leaking from the bottom (not a fitting or valve, the actual tank), internal corrosion has won. You're buying a new tank.
Hot water tank replacement
Draining the old tank, disconnecting, hauling it out, and installing a new one. Comes up when the tank is leaking, past 10 years, or can't keep up with your household. Also a natural time to consider whether tankless makes sense.
Tankless water heater
Heats water on demand as it flows through. No tank, no stored water, no running out mid-shower. Cold water in, heat exchanger, hot water out. Takes up less space and uses less energy since nothing sits there staying hot all day. Higher upfront cost, but they last roughly twice as long as tanks (20+ years vs 10 to 12), so it balances.
Tankless water heater installation
More involved than a tank install. Tankless units need a bigger gas line (more gas per minute, even though less overall), proper venting, and adequate water pressure. Some homes need a gas line upgrade first. Higher upfront cost, but the energy savings and 20-year lifespan offset it.
Tankless water heater maintenance
Descaling. Minerals build up inside the heat exchanger, and the Lower Mainland's water has enough mineral content that this matters. Without regular flushing, deposits reduce efficiency and eventually damage the unit. Also: cleaning the inlet filter and checking the burner. Most manufacturers recommend yearly and tie it to the warranty.
Tankless water heater repair
More complex than tank repairs. Error codes, ignition failures, temperature swings, flow sensor issues, control board problems. Having a tech who works on these regularly matters because the diagnostic process is different from a standard tank heater.
Ventilation and ductwork
HVAC
Stands for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning. Catch-all term for the systems that keep your home comfortable. Furnace or boiler, A/C or heat pump, ductwork, thermostat, all of it together.
Ductwork (air duct system)
The metal or flexible tubes running through your walls, ceilings, and floors that carry conditioned air to every room and bring air back to the system. Poorly designed, leaky, or dirty ducts are one of the most common reasons for uneven temperatures and high energy bills. If one room is always freezing and another is roasting, ducts are the first thing to check.
Duct cleaning
Clearing out the dust, pet hair, construction debris, and whatever else has collected inside your ducts. Builds up gradually and eventually affects air quality and how hard your system has to work. Especially relevant after a renovation (drywall dust gets into everything), if you have pets, or if you notice a stale smell when the system kicks on.
Duct installation
Designing and building new ductwork for a new home, renovation, or HVAC upgrade. Layout matters more than people think. Bad duct design leads to rooms that are always the wrong temperature, wasted energy, and noisy airflow. Sizing, routing, sealing, and the number of bends all affect performance.
Duct repair
Fixing ducts that are leaking, disconnected, crushed, or damaged. Happens from house settling, rodent activity, age, or sloppy original installation. Leaky ducts let the air you're paying to condition escape into your attic or walls instead of reaching your rooms. Sealing ductwork is one of the cheapest ways to get more from your existing system.
Dryer duct (dryer vent)
Carries hot, lint-filled air from your dryer to the outside. Lint builds up and this matters because clogged dryer vents are one of the top causes of house fires. If clothes take longer to dry than they used to, the dryer feels hotter than normal, or you smell something burning, it needs cleaning. Every one to two years.
Gas Services
Gas fitting
Any work on natural gas piping and connections. Running new gas lines, hooking up furnaces, boilers, fireplaces, stoves, dryers. Leak detection and repair. In BC, only technicians certified by Technical Safety BC can do this legally. Not a suggestion. Unlicensed gas work is illegal and genuinely dangerous.
Gas fireplace
Burns natural gas or propane. Light it with a switch or remote, consistent heat, no wood to deal with. Needs proper venting (usually direct vent through an exterior wall) and a gas line connection. Annual servicing keeps the burner, pilot, and safety controls working right.
Gas fireplace installation
Running a gas line to the location, installing the firebox and surround, setting up venting, connecting the gas supply. Licensed gas fitter required. Direct vent units are most common now because they pull combustion air from outside and exhaust through the wall, so your indoor air quality stays clean.
Gas fireplace maintenance
Yearly servicing. The glass develops a white film from combustion byproducts. The burner assembly needs inspection. Gas connections get checked for leaks. The pilot and ignition system get tested. Safety controls like the oxygen depletion sensor need verifying. Skip this too many years and you end up with soot problems, poor flame quality, or worse.
Gas fireplace repair
Won't light, won't stay lit, weak flames, discolored flames, or not throwing heat. Usually the thermocouple or thermopile (parts that sense whether the pilot is lit and allow gas to flow), the ignition system, or the gas valve. Licensed gas fitter work.
Controls and components
Thermostat
The thing on your wall that tells your heating and cooling when to run. Set a temperature, it handles the rest. Programmable ones let you set schedules so you're not heating an empty house. Smart thermostats connect to your phone, learn your patterns, and show energy use. Swapping an old dial thermostat for a programmable or smart one is one of the easiest upgrades you can make.
Thermostat repair
When it isn't reading temperature right, ignores button presses, drops Wi-Fi, or stops communicating with your HVAC equipment. Could be wiring, dead batteries, calibration drift, or a compatibility issue. Check the thermostat before assuming the problem is the furnace or A/C, because sometimes it's the whole issue.
Pilot light
A small gas flame that burns continuously in older furnaces, boilers, water heaters, and fireplaces. Its job is igniting the main burner when the system needs heat. Pilot goes out, no ignition, no heat. Newer equipment uses electronic ignition instead, which only fires on demand and doesn't waste gas.
Heat exchanger
The part inside a furnace that heats your air. Gas burns inside it, the blower pushes household air over the outside of it. Air gets warm without ever touching the combustion gases. A cracked heat exchanger is serious because it can leak carbon monoxide into your air supply. They're expensive to replace, so a cracked one in an older furnace usually means the whole furnace needs replacing.
Thermocouple
A small metal sensor that sits in a pilot flame. When the flame heats it, the thermocouple generates a tiny electrical current that tells the gas valve the pilot is lit and gas can flow. If it fails or the pilot goes out, the gas valve shuts automatically. They wear out over time and are one of the most commonly replaced parts in gas fireplaces and water heaters.
Refrigerant
The fluid inside your air conditioner or heat pump that moves heat around. It absorbs heat when it evaporates indoors (cooling the air) and releases heat when it condenses outdoors. Low refrigerant usually means a leak that needs fixing, not just a top-up. Older systems used R-22, now phased out in Canada. Newer ones use R-410A or current alternatives.
Maintenance and Safety
HVAC maintenance
Having a technician service your heating and cooling equipment on a regular schedule. Cleaning, inspecting for wear, testing safety controls, adjusting. Fewer surprise breakdowns, longer equipment life, lower bills. Also keeps your warranty valid, since most manufacturers will deny a claim without maintenance history.
Safety inspection
Focused on whether your gas appliances are safe, not whether they're running efficiently. The tech tests for CO, checks gas connections with a leak detector, inspects heat exchangers, and makes sure venting is clear and connected. Different from a tune-up. A tune-up improves performance. A safety inspection makes sure nothing is going to hurt anyone.
Carbon monoxide (CO)
Colorless. Odorless. Produced when natural gas, propane, or wood burns. In a properly working furnace or water heater, CO vents safely outside. A cracked heat exchanger, blocked vent, or malfunctioning appliance can let it build up indoors. CO detectors are required by law in BC homes with fuel-burning appliances. If yours goes off, get out of the house first and ask questions later.
Scheduled maintenance
Your HVAC company services your equipment on a set schedule, usually once or twice a year, so you don't have to remember. Some companies bundle in priority scheduling for repairs and discounted parts. Mostly it just removes the human tendency to forget until something breaks.
General Services
Commercial HVAC
Heating, cooling, and ventilation for businesses. Offices, retail, warehouses, apartment buildings. Bigger equipment, more complex systems (rooftop units, multi-zone controls, building automation), different code requirements. Same principles as residential, different scale.
24/7 emergency service
When it can't wait until Monday. Furnace dies Saturday night in January, A/C fails during a heat wave, that kind of thing. Some companies charge a premium for after-hours and others don't. Good to know which camp your HVAC company is in before 2am on a cold night.
Piping
The pipes carrying water, steam, or gas to your HVAC and plumbing equipment. Hot water lines to your tank or tankless heater, hydronic piping for boiler and radiant systems, gas piping for furnaces and fireplaces, condensate drains from A/C systems. Piping work in BC has to meet both plumbing and gas code.
Water leak detection and repair
Finding and fixing leaks in boilers, hot water tanks, hydronic heating piping, radiant floor systems, and water supply lines. Small leaks are easy to dismiss but cause cumulative damage to floors, walls, and ceilings, and reduce system efficiency. Finding one early is always cheaper than dealing with the water damage later.
Rebates and Certification
FortisBC rebates
Cash back when you upgrade to more efficient natural gas equipment. High-efficiency furnaces, boilers, and water heaters can qualify. Amounts depend on the equipment and efficiency rating. Your HVAC contractor can usually tell you what applies and help with paperwork. The specific rebates change year to year, so check what's current before committing.
BC Hydro rebates
Same idea but for electric equipment. Heat pumps are the big one since they run on electricity and are far more efficient than traditional heating. Available rebates and qualifying equipment shift over time.
Technical Safety BC
The regulatory body overseeing gas equipment, electrical systems, boilers, and other regulated technology in British Columbia. Any technician touching gas appliances needs valid Technical Safety BC certification. When you're hiring an HVAC company, ask about this. If they can't confirm their techs are certified, find someone else.
